The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1887-06-04
SERMON

one of this afternoon are very unpleas-
gatherings. To recall the scenes of
suffering and bloodshed; of brother
fighting against brother, i'll becomes
place of worship, and still more so a
minister of the gospel to revive those
terrible memories" Sosays the sneer-
ing cynic as with a contemptuous toss
Of the head, and a contemplate snarl
he leaves you after being asked to par
ticipate i'll the service. | could not
suffer myself to answer in detail the
objection raised by these bores in soci-
ETY., neither do | think it would be
profitable. At the same time the mere
suggestion that these services are UNI
necessary leads me to say something
which | hope will convince Us all of
the propriety Of assembling at such
meetings as this one of to-day.
'Hearken to ne cried the silver
tongued Isaiah (and this is my text
"hearken to me, We that would follow
righteousness, We that seek the Lord:
look unto the rock whence We are hcwn
and to the hole Of the pit whence We
are digged," lisa. 51:D and in doing
SO the lsraelites had many bitter things
to remember us well as many better;
as many sorrows as joys; as many
hardships as smooth sailings. They
held memorial services for the great de-
liverance that was wrought out for
them, even though they had fought
their way through deep red seas Of
blood, aud they were commanded By
the Lord to celebrate on the four
teenth day day of the first month Of
every year feast which commemorate
ed one Of the bloodiest and yet the
grandest visitations of the great |
AM, the Lord of Hosts And why do
do you suppose they were commanded
to do these things? Not for the ex-
press purpose Of reyiying the memories
of such an awful visitation,-that were
terrible accusation, but to remind
them what they were, and where they
were all came of Infinite Goodness,
and not by any single merit of their
own. They were to remember the
rock whence they were hewn, and the
hole of the pit whence they were dig
ged. So when the braye soldiers OF
the Grand Army of the Republic as
semble at meetings such as the one OF
~ .hey meet, o.. ahnuII anoot not
tor the purpose Of reviving those fear
tul memories Of the past-and yet who
can forget them, and who Of the
lsraelites could forget the scenes OF
desolation in Egypt for tins pur-
pose are they gathered together, but
simply and solely to enjoy a happy
rellniol, and to talk Of the great de
hverance wrought out for them, and
to remember that not by force of arms
alone was the victory gained, but be-
cause the Lord God the king of battles
led on to conquer.
As for American citizens celebrating
this event, who never shouldered a
musket in defence of home or native
and adopted land, who never exposed
themselves to the shot and she'll Of the
rebel power. How can they celebrate il?
[ think in no better way than assembl-
ing in crowds with those who did give
up their all, and were willing to sacri-
flee their lives for freedom and union.
In no better way can the young gen
GRAFTON of American citizens show their
gratitude for the work done by means
Of the old soldiers than by participate
ing enthusiastically in Memorial and
Decoration services, and thus show
that they not only love the survivors
of those dreadful scenes, but that they
also yenerate the memory Of those,
who in the greatest crisis Of this great
continents history, gave up their lives
for those institutions, the blessings
from which they are the happy recip-
tents.
The great civil war to my mind
without any thought of irreverence
seemed like a mighty Passover going
through the land, visitation from
God upon . guilty people, North and
South for having tolerated on the one
hand, and fostered on the other Il
bondage % iniquitous, that Egyptian
bondage compared with it, was liberty.
The day, however, has gone, thank
God, When bitter sectional feuds can
be revived. The flag of truce has
already been unfurled, and the Stars
and Stripes Of an United States waves
oyer our land Jefferson Dayis had
better submit to the inevitable and be
thankful TO merciful government
who granted mercy when from a
human stand poinr mercy was not de
served, without irritating 4 patient pub
lie with inhammatory declamations,
and Northern republicans with an
honest zeal Tor the party they love
must cease stigmatizing a "solid
South, and thus keep the sectional
fires aglow. e Plnri5as Uuum"
must be the motto if these memorial
days are to be perpetuated, and thus